鸣鸠

鳴鳩

míngjiū

noun

Measure Word

一只鸣鸠 zhī

Meanings

1 turtledove
2 calling dove (literary term for various Streptopelia species)

Characters

to call (of birds); to cry

dove; turtledove

Examples

HSK 7-9

春雨过后，鸣鸠在林间啼叫。

Chūn yǔ guòhòu, míngjiū zài línjiān tíjiào.

After the spring rain, turtledoves cooed among the trees.

HSK 7-9

古人常以鸣鸠入诗。

Gǔrén cháng yǐ míngjiū rù shī.

Ancient poets often wrote of the calling dove.

Tips

culture

A literary, classical name for the 斑鸠 (turtledove). Its repetitive call signaled spring rain in old poetry - 《诗经》's 《小雅·小宛》 has '宛彼鸣鸠，翰飞戾天'. Today most speakers just say 斑鸠.

Stroke Order

鸣 míng

鸠 jiū